D&D Minimalism

D&D Minimalism

Origin

Back to my Roots

It all started in middle school. That’s when my core group of friends and I began our epic journey as wizards, bards, and fighters back when Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was still in its nascent stage, not yet a part of mainstream culture… and definitely not approved by our parents.

They didn’t get it. We could be anything we wanted. We could kill dastardly creatures, loot legendary weapons, and save entire kingdoms all with a few dice rolls. For a lot of adult nerds like me this is where our love of fantasy began – growing with us as we matured into creative, passionate grown-ups with kids of our own. I can’t wait to start a campaign and be the DM while my son rolls a new character. I bet he ends up with 18 WIS, he’s that bright (and that lucky).

Design Thinking

Tabletop Minimalism

With this design series I wanted to capture some root aspects of D&D that I remember from those early days. The various gaming aspects are depicted as simply as possible, making a visual puzzle that players may recognize immediately.

Things like alignment, abilities, and the dice all play a role in a gamer’s introduction to D&D, and can often be some of the most formative memories. The shapes of these things are simple symbols, representing the tools of adventures, not the adventures themselves.

Some of the designs have been updated to reflect the current state of D&D – now in its 5th edition – including the classes and character sheet layout.